Hodi elevator



ROD ELEVATOR Filed May 9, 192a Patented June 24, 1230 a err ROD ELEVATOR Application filed May 9, 1928. Serial No. 276,403.

This invention relates to elevators more particularly adapted for use with sucker rods or the like while they are being withdrawn from or lowered into a well.

An important objectof this invention is to provide an elevator for use in deep wells, havingsuificient strength and relatively few arts to guardagainst breakage.

Another object is to provide an elevator having a hook adapted to partially surround a rod or other member to be carried, where by it will be impossible for the rod to accidentally escape from the elevator.

J A further object is to provide an elevator of the type indicated, provided with a pivoted hook and a pair of alined openings adjacent thereto, the center of said openings being arranged. at an angle of at least 180 from the pivotpoint of said hook whereby a rod or other member will be positively held in said openings.

A further object is to provide anelevator of the type indicated which is comparatively simple, compact, and inexpensive in con struction, as well as being safe, time saving,

convenient, serviceable, practical and eflicient'in use.

Other'objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, I

Figure 2 is a plan view of the elevator, and Figure 3 is a central horizontal section with the hook shown in elevation.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 10 indicates a casing as a whole, provided with trunnions 11 on which bearings 12 of a substantially U-shaped yoke 13 are pivotally carried. The upper end of the yoke 13 is extended vertically as shown at 1 and terminates in an eye 15, through which a hook or other carrying member is adapted to be inserted. The forward portion ofthe casing 10 is provided wtih a pair of outstanding ears 16 which act as stop members to limit the pivoting movement of the yoke arms 13 as will be readily understood. The casing 10 is provided with a bottom 17, front and rear walls 18 and 12 respectively, side walls 20 and a top 21, all of said parts being preferably cast or otherwise formed in one piece. The bottom 17 is provided with a substantially circular opening and is further provided with an upstanding guide portion 23 preferably formed inte gral with the bottom, extending to the top of the casing, and being substantially. of the same contour as e the opening in the bottom. In alinement with the bottom opening, the top 21 is provided with an opening of substantially the same contour as the bottom opening. The transverse opening formed by the alinement of said top and bottom openings and theguide 23 will be designated by the numeral 23". At an angle from the top and bottom openings the top and bottom are provided with elongated alined slots, leading from said openings to the front wall of the casing. One side of one of the slots is provided with a wall 25 extending to the top of the casing, preferably formed integral with the front wall of the casing, and terminating adjacent the upstanding portion 23, whereby an aperture 26 is provided between the end of the wall 25 and the portion 23, the purpose of which will become apparent. The elongated opening formed by the alinement of the top and bottom slots will'be designated by. the numeral 25.

Pivotally mounted adjacent the rear of the upstanding portion 23, between the top and bottom of the casing, is a hook 28 having a handle 2 preferably'formed integral therewith, a pivotpin 27, riveted or otherwise firmly secured in the casing, serving to hold the hook in such position. Thehook 28 is preferably formed of metal or other suitable material of suflicient strength to securely hold a rod or other member within the opening 23. Adjacent its pivot point the hook 28, is provided with anextension curved substantially as shown at 29. to encircle one extremity of the upstanding portion 23, and sharply curved substantially as shown at 30 whereby the opening 25 will be closed by the curved portion of the hook. The extremity of the hook adjacent the lDO curved portion extends slightly into the aperture 26, and is provided with a reinforcing bead 31 beveled substantially as shown at 32 for a purpose which will be hereinafter described.

The rear wall 19 of the casing is provided with an aperture 33, through which the handle-29 is adapted to project. Adjacent the rear Wall, one side wall 20 is extended inwardly as shown at 34 and this inwardly extending portion is provided with a threaded aperture 35. A threaded bolt 36, pro vided with an enlarged head 37 and a shank 38, is adapted to be threaded into the aperture 35, and directly opposite the shank 38, the handle 29 of the hook is provided with an outstanding projection or boss 39. A coil spring 40 is adapted to be removably mounted between the handle 29 and the bolt 36, the shank 38 and boss 39 serving to hold said spring in place. The spring 40 is adaptedto hold the hook in its closed position as shown in full lines in Figure 3.

The operation of my improved elevator is believed to be apparent. lVhen it is desired to insert a rod or other member into the opening 23, the handle member 29 may be grasped and pulled in the direction of the handle member 41 integrally formed with the rear wall of the casing. Such movement will place the hook 28 substantially in the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, whereby the opening 25 will be unobstructed and a rod or other member may be inserted through said opening into the opening 23. The handle 29 is then released and the tension of the spring 10 will force the curved portion of the hook across the opening 25 thereby preventing accidental escape of the member within the opening his to be understood that the sucker rods or other members to be caried by the elevator are provided with a shoulder adapted to contact with the top of the casing thereby preventin'gvertical movement of the member. Attention is now directed to the novel arrangement of the pivot pin 27 with respect to the openings 23 and 25, whereby accidental escape ofthe rod from the opening 23 is positively prevented. The pivot pin 27 is arranged at an angle of at least 180 from the center of the opening 23, and the opening 25 is arranged at an angle greater than 180 with respect to the pivot pin, the angles being measured from the pivot pin in the direction of the curved portion of the hook. With this arrangement, force exerted by the rod in attempting to escape will be exerted only in the direction of the opening 25 and it will be readily seen that a force exerted in this direction would not tend to move the hook on its pivot but would exert a pulling force on the pivot pin directly. If the rod exerts a force at an angle of greater than 180 from the pivot pin, the tendency of the hook would be to more firmly hold the rod rather than to swing on its pivot.

Regardless of the force exerted by the rod in the direction of the opening 25 the hook 28 will not move on its pivot and in order for the rod to escape, the force exerted would have to pull the pivot pin loose, or exceed the tensile strength of the hook whereby the end of the hook would break off.

The beveled portion 32 of the hook allows a rod to be inserted into the opening 23 without the necessity of grasping the handle members 29 and 41, if it is so desired, but it has been found preferable to use the handle members.

The casing is formed of metal or other suitable 'material of suiiicient strength to guard against breakage, and the openings 23 and 25 may be made of various sizes, depending upon the size of the rods the device is intended for use with.

The above mentioned construction provides an elevator which will positively hold a rod or other member when the hook is in closed position. The act of inserting the rod into the opening may be performed in a fraction of a minute and injury is unlikely as a persons hands are never in a dangerous position.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a prefered example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim 1. A device of the character described comprising a casing provided with front, rear and side walls, a top and a bottom, said top and bottom being provided with alined openings and being further provided with angular slots communicating with said openings, said rear wall being provided with an elongated opening, a hook pivoted between said top and bottom and having a portion adapted to be moved into and out of a position closing the entrance to said first named openings, said hook being further provided with an integral handle extending through the opening in said rear wall, a stationary handle secured to said rear wall and extending outwardly thereof in proximity to said first named handle whereby both of said handles may be grasped to manually move said hook into and out of closing position, and means normally urging said hook into closed position.

2. A device constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for normally urging the hook into closed position comprises a coil spring, the handle of the hook being provided with a projection, and one side Wall of said casing carrying a similar projection, said spring being adjustably arranged between said projection.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

BENJAMIN P. HOFFMAN. 

